Miller v. Colvin, No. 14-1639 (8th Cir. 2015)
Annotate this CaseMiller suffered: a brain injury in a 1998 car accident and had back surgery in 2004. Although his doctor described his brain injury as stable, but Miller complained of memory and balance problems and pan. Miller claims these injuries caused him to become disabled starting in 2007. In 2008, Miller requested disability insurance benefits as well as supplemental security income. He received a hearing before an administrative law judge, who denied his claim, finding that Miller had the residual functional capacity to perform light work, as defined by 20 C.F.R. 404.1567(b) and 416.967(b). The Appeals Council denied Miller’s request for review. The district court and Eighth Circuit affirmed, upholding the ALJ’s decision to give “little weight” to some of Miller’s medical evidence.
Court Description: Civil Case -social security. ALJ was justified in discounting opinions of treating physicians and substantial evidence on the record as a whole supports the ALJ's decision that Miller could perform light work. Opinion of chiropractor was not well-supported by medically acceptable diagnostic techniques and not inconsistent with other substantial evidence in the record. ALJ appropriately gave little weight to doctor's opinion that was based on single evaluation and was inconsistent with other evidence in the record. A determination of residual functional capacity is ultimately an administrative determination reserved to the Commissioner and the ALJ bears the primary responsibility for assessing the claimant's residual functional capacity.
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